The Grapevine

Family & Community Resource Center

CALL
603-588-2620

OFFICE HOURS
M-F 9am-1pm

4 Aiken Street, PO Box 637
Antrim, NH 03440

Programs

Home Visiting Program

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For more information or to make a referral, please contact us. 

The Grapevine is a proud partner and member of the Monadnock Home Visiting Alliance (MHVA), a collaboration of four organizations in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire.  Other partners are The River Center,  Rise for Baby and Family, and Home Healthcare Hospice and Community Services.  MHVA is supported by generous funding from Monadnock United Way and Impact Monadnock.  To learn more, visit Monadnock United Way’s website.

Here are some answers to the most common questions:

  • What is Home Visiting? Home visiting is one to one support for all types of families. Home Visiting is about making connections and building community. It is geared toward families who need access to community resources, someone to talk to and some extra support.  This service is offered at no cost to the family. 
  • Where does Home Visiting happen? Our Home Visitors provide support to families in their home or another comfortable location, depending on the specific situation.  
  • What does a Home Visitor do?  Our experienced home visiting staff talk to parents/caregivers about child development and how to support a child where he/she is, help families connect to local resources, ensure access to food, heating, employment and other basic needs, share ideas, talk, and act as a caring person who will listen. Home visiting staff are encouraging and positive and help parents and caregivers build confidence and skills.  
  • Who is eligible?  Anyone is eligible, but we primarily focus on individuals and families who are caring for children. Home Visiting usually happens in the home, but sometimes other meetings spaces are more suitable.   
  • Who provides services? A small number of highly trained Grapevine staff members provide home visiting support.  Each staff member brings a specialized background and care is taken to determine who the best “fit” will be for a family.
  • How are families referred? Families come to us from many different paths.  Some are families already attending programs at the Grapevine.  We also receive referrals from local hospitals and physicians, schools, mental health professionals, DCYF and other human service providers. Self referrals are welcome too!

Our Home Visitors work with families to help them set goals based on the Strengthening Families Five Protective Factors:

  • Parental Resilience – Managing stress and functioning well when faced with challenges, adversity and trauma.
  • Social Connections – Positive relationships that provide emotional, informational, instrumental and spiritual support.
  • Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development – Understanding child development and parenting strategies that support physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional development.
  • Concrete Support in Times of Need – Access to concrete support and services that address a family’s needs and help minimize stress caused by challenges.
  • Social and Emotional Competence of Children – Family and child interactions that help children develop the ability to communicate clearly, recognize and regulate their emotions and establish and maintain relationships.  

Before & After School Clubs

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As of August 2020, the Grapevine no longer administers the Before and After School Club based at Antrim Elementary School.  This program has been transitioned to the Souhegan Boys and Girls Club, which will oversee the program for the 2020/21 School Year.  For enrollment and registration information, please contact Mike Goodwin, CEO at mgoodwin@svbgc.org or 603.672.1002.

Grandparents Parenting + Relative Caregivers

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The Grandparents Parenting Grandchildren/Relative Caregivers group meets monthly on a Saturday. This program is FREE and childcare is available. Please contact The Grapevine for more information or to join this group.

Nationwide 7.8 million children are being raised by grandparents and other relative caregivers (Generations United) and not without a host of challenges and issues that come with the job, including mixed emotions, financial burdens, health concerns and keeping pace with the children. Join us for a discussion on the joys and challenges grandparents face, hear from other grandparents/relative caregivers and learn about some of the resources and supports available.

Our staff have completed the UMaine Certificate in Grandfamilies Leadership and have been involved with the Grandparents/Relative Caregivers Group for a number of years. We are available to support you by listening, sharing resources, connecting you with other parenting relatives, etc. Contact us to talk.

The Learning Vine Preschool

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As of September 2020, The Learning Vine Preschool will be closed due to circumstances related to COVID-19. Please stay tuned for more information.

The Learning Vine is a preschool program of The Grapevine Family & Community Resource Center. The program meets on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9am-12pm and welcomes children ages 3-5. Miss Amy is the lead teacher and Miss Danielle is the Assistant for the program.  Families can choose a drop-off option or they may take part in the preschool program cooperative, where parents and caregivers stay and actively participate in the preschool program in various ways.

The preschool morning begins with an outdoor arrival. This allows the children to expend some energy and breathe fresh air before they settle into the morning gathering time.  At our morning gathering Miss Amy sings a song of the week, we play games and discuss what is new in our room for activities. The children then move into choice time.  During choice time the children use a planning board to move from area to area throughout the morning. Some of the available areas are Art Table, Blocks, Painting, Library, Playgdough, Sensory Table, House Area, Quiet and Discovery as well as a special Activity Table.  Snack Table is also a choice for the children during this time.  This time provides the perfect setting for our teachers Amy and Danielle to assist children in problem solving, social skills, and independence.

After choice time we gather again for Story Time.  The children look at books together, we talk about our morning, play games and Miss Danielle reads a story.  We then wash our hands and eat lunch together.  After lunch we return to the outdoors where the children get to dig in the sand, run, jump, and climb.  When the weather cooperates we will paint outside, blow bubbles, and use musical instruments.

At the Learning Vine,  it is our goal to have every child feel welcome and honored. We want their first school experience to be fun and joyful and creative.  Our goal is that the children learn independent skills, problem solving skills and how to speak up for their needs and organize their things. Our hope is that they play, learn and laugh.

Parent-Child Groups

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As of September 2020, Better Beginnings Parent-Child Groups are currently meeting outdoors. Circumstances may change due to weather and/or COVID-19. Please contact us for more information.

Better Beginnings Parent-Child Group

The Better Beginnings Parent-Child Program meets weekly on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 9:30-11:30am. 18mo-5yr.

Registration is required for this program; please contact us to inquire.

The Better Beginnings Parent-Child Program offers parents and caregivers the opportunity to gather while their children take part in an enrichment program. Once the parent and child are comfortably separated, parents will meet together for discussions on parenting topics of interest. Parent Group Facilitator, Carol Lunan or Nancy Macalaster, supports conversation around a variety of topics such as relationships and relationship building; communication; attachment and bonding; early learning; child development; and/or any number of parenting topics of interest to the group.  Each morning, time is set aside for “checking in” with parents, offering the opportunity to discuss parenting and other challenges in a supportive, confidential, trusting environment. Parent groups are open and accessible to all families in the community.

Better Beginnings Children’s Enrichment Program offers time to play, social opportunities and activities that naturally support children’s individual needs and developmental abilities. Early childhood staff focus their attention on the children one-to-one or in small groups, and on designing child-friendly space that is warm, inviting, friendly and engaging.  Our staff follow children’s lead in choosing materials or activities, while also working to introduce new ideas and ways of playing. Activities offer experiences with dress-ups, homemade play dough, sand, water, music, art, books, snack, etc. in order to enhance each child’s experience. Playgroups provide important social opportunities for children, a chance for them to be together and learn to communicate and cooperate. The enrichment program is for children between the ages of one to five years. Younger babies can stay with their parents.

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As of September 2020, Better Beginnings for Babies will be closed due to circumstances related to COVID-19. Please stay tuned for more information.

Better Beginnings for Babies

The Better Beginnings for Babies group meets each Wednesday during the school year from 10-11:30am. Newborns-20mo, Expecting parents welcome.

Registration is required for this program; please contact us to inquire.

The Better Beginnings for Babies group offers a space where parents, infants and toddlers up to twenty months of age can feel safe and held in the circle of community.

Becoming the parent of a newborn/infant can be at best a daunting experience. Often new parents feel overwhelmed with responsibility, isolated in their experiences, and inundated with advice.

Within the structure of the Better Beginnings for Babies group meeting, parents and/or caregivers have the time and space to talk about their hopes, concerns, and individual resources. They can play with and observe their children, informally talk about parenting topics and concerns, share ideas and visit. The gift parents and/or caregivers receive is being listened to and heard. The circle embraces each parent /caregiver for where they are in their individual journey.

Meanwhile, infants are free to experience self-initiated exploration of their own body movements and then the environment of the play space. The play space is designed to meet the needs of each individual child enticing them to reach just a little bit further as they are ready.

The group is facilitated and guided by Nancy Macalaster, M.A. and Infant/Parent Mental Health Clinician. Special speakers sometimes join the group to share information on particular topics.

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As of September 2020, Hillsborough Playgroup is currently meeting on Mondays from 1-2:30pm in an outdoor space. Circumstances may change due to weather and/or COVID-19. Please contact us for more information.

Hillsborough Playgroup

The Hillsborough Playgroup meets weekly on Mondays from 1-2:30pm and Fridays from 10-11:30am at the Smith Memorial Church’s Dubben House, 34 West Main Street in Hillsborough.

Grapevine staff set up the room with fun, developmentally appropriate activities for the children, such as painting, playdough, puzzles, games, etc. All activities are facilitated by staff with a goal of enhancing social skills such as cooperation and communication.The children have the opportunity to socialize and play with other children while the parents take time to chat and relax.